Nonetheless he reported his 25-year-old Dawes Super Galaxy stolen to local gardaí and over the coming weeks kept an eye on online classsifieds sites like Adverts and Done Deal.

“By chance, on Done Deal, I came across it,” he says. “I could tell straight away it was mine – its particular design, the minor damage on the frame and a couple of components I had put on it. There was a phone number for the vendor. He was based in Wexford. ”

Reid (46), phoned gardaí in Wexford.

“They were very helpful from the start,” he says. “Basically we agreed for me to contact the vendor, pose as a potential buyer and meet him on St Patrick’s Day.

“I met up with two detectives who were there to intercept the man where I was to meet him, at a garage in a public place. He said he bought it in a market somewhere.”

When Reid told gardaí that the original wheels and Brooks leather saddle had been removed from the bike, they recovered the same from the man’s house.

“What I would say is that the gardaí were excellent,” he said. “I really appreciate them taking a bike theft seriously. I was super pleased to get it back.”